It is known to use automatically operated, suction or vacuum type, pick-and-place, tools to carry surface mounted electrical components such as integrated circuits or capacitors into position on a circuit board.
Whereas such components inherently have flat parts operably engagable in covering relation with the suction nozzle mouth of the tool so as to adhere by suction thereto, as surface mount type electrical connectors usually comprise insulating bodies with thin upstanding walls defining elongate, upwardly opening cavities at a mating face and which extending beyond the periphery of a nozzle mouth, an upwardly facing surface, suitably flat and extensive for adherence by suction is not available, preventing use of automatic handling by vacuum type equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,245 issued Aug. 2, 1983 to Lane discloses an electrical connector having a cover member completely closing a mating cavity for retaining contacts in a housing prior to receipt in apertures in a circuit board, preventing ingress of dust and other contaminants into the connector and for providing a force transmitting surface for engagement by an insertion tool.